Craft resources???

**anneriddington** · 23-09-2009, 12:37 PM

Following on from a visit by my CDW yesterday who said I should allow all the children continuous access to craft materials to extend the learning I am interested to see what other do, personally there is always a box of crayons, pencils and paper available along with things like aqua draw but glue, scissors, paints etc are stored out of reach as is the play dough, which I have out either on request or when part of a planned activity. what do you all think?

**margimum** · 23-09-2009, 12:43 PM

With my lounge being play room too I can just imagine glue being all over the furniture, curtains and floors in no time!!

**solly** · 23-09-2009, 12:49 PM

My living room is my work space so i only have the basics out. I get the other stuff out either for a planned activity or if its requested

**pinklady** · 23-09-2009, 01:04 PM

Depends on the age of the mindees. Mine are between 9 and 18months. DS2 is only 3 so I keep mine out of reach. My Ofsted inspector thought that was very sensible!

I do quite often have an easel with chalks out.

**DIPPY DOUGHNUT** · 23-09-2009, 01:10 PM

i look after a 4 yr old, 3 yr old and 2 yr.

I keep mine out of reach other wise my 2 year old would have pen, glitter and glue every where.

However we do a craft activity everyday. Today we stuck different coloured tissue paper to a puffa fish cut out, tomorrow we will just do some free drawing.

**FussyElmo** · 23-09-2009, 01:13 PM

Originally Posted by pinklady

Depends on the age of the mindees. Mine are between 9 and 18months. DS2 is only 3 so I keep mine out of reach. My Ofsted inspector thought that was very sensible!

I do quite often have an easel with chalks out.

All my craft stuff is kept out of harms way for this reason. Its well and good saying they should have free access but really it depends on the ages of your mindees.

**It's a small world** · 23-09-2009, 01:17 PM

For health and safety my craft items are out of reach too.Although we do some colouring etc most days..

Can imagine lo's grabbing glue/crayons etc and shoving it in their mouths

**amanda1309** · 23-09-2009, 01:20 PM

My craft items are kept out of reach of the little ones, as my lot would happily spread it all over the lounge or have it for lunch. One mindee likes to eat paint etc whenever we do crafts

**Rubybubbles** · 23-09-2009, 01:24 PM

hiya hun

She is coming out to me on Friday! One of the things picked up on my Inspection was this, I explained to the inspector that I am not having my walls all glued on, and paint all over my carpets

! I only have pencils and crayons out, but even they are put out of reach to the younger children! In the creche I used to help in they had under 3's and only came out as part of a planned activity!

Older children do have free range though to all crafts, but they have to ask

ITS STILL MY HOME

I think the DW is more focused on the EYFS stage, which up until Sept I didn't have any

!

What else was she looking at Anne if you don't mind me asking, the letter said to have planning, obs ad any other paperwork! Hope she has lots of time

**Polly2** · 23-09-2009, 01:27 PM

that just silly to have to have everything out. I have mostly 2 yr olds and younger it would not be safe.

**cabby** · 23-09-2009, 01:33 PM

can you imagine a 2 or 3 year old having free access to paints and glue

no chance

**youarewhatyoueat** · 23-09-2009, 03:02 PM

I have free access to most things felt pens,paper,scissors,glue mini white boards only to afterschool children and only at the kitchen table, if the youger children wish to do craft they have to sit on boosters up to the kitchen table. Most craft activities are done at toddler groups and the childrens centre with the little ones in the morning.

**Annie_T** · 23-09-2009, 03:17 PM

pens/pencils.crayons only unless we doign a craft where we makign things etc

**Helen79** · 23-09-2009, 03:36 PM

Mine don't have free access to any craft stuff.

I have a pot of crayons & paper up high on the windowsill & get them down when I know I can stay in the room to supervise (not being distracted by meal times or nappy changes)

We've just re-decorated the living room with a cream carpet & cream walls so there's no chance that they're getting unsupervised free access to craft materials in there.

We do all painting, sticking etc on the kitchen table. The children don't have free access to the kitchen as it's not safe so we go in at set times to do that.

I always have the aquadraw & magnadoodles out so they can draw on those if they want to.

**sarah707** · 23-09-2009, 03:44 PM

It's a bit of a bugbear for them I think... mine said the same thing a while ago

I have compromised... I have a table in the corner of my conservatory and some of the art and craft stuff is on the window ledge sort of behind it in boxes.

The older children can reach the stuff and the younger ones are monitored so they don't climb up.

Paints etc are locked away and available only on request, usually for using in the garden

**Angela234** · 23-09-2009, 04:59 PM

Paints and glue pots are in kitchen cupboard child locks on

Upstairs i have large 3 drawer plastic trolly with loads of crafty bits in

Kitchen draw childrens scissors, masking tape, selotape ,glue sticks, most kids can reach these just very young can't

Dining room labled narrow 4 drawer trolley children have access to

1ST Drawer pens/pencils/crayons/felts/rulers/calcluaters

2nd large selection of paper and card and role play slips (collected from banks and post offices)

3rD stencils plastic and wooden , aqua draw sets, stamps and inks ,Wipe clean books

4th activity books of all kinds.

I always have one table laid out for writting /colouring activities something different every day

I wouldn't leave paint out for children to have free access if they ask to do painting i get them out we do it in the kitchen or outside

**anneriddington** · 23-09-2009, 05:48 PM

Ok everyone have decided CDW was on amission, I agree with you all health and safety would not allow me to have paint out all the time, I like the idea of having some resources in a tiered chest of drawers, may pinch that idea if you dont mind. But have decided to go with my instinct and carry on as before if it was good enough for ofsted if will have to be good enough for CDW

**Twinkles** · 23-09-2009, 05:56 PM

Mine always have free access to crayons and paper but that's as far as I will go.
Like someone else said they seem to forget this is our home

**flora** · 23-09-2009, 06:29 PM

I have a unit I got from lidl, it is 3 boxes on top of each other.

Top one has pens pencils, caryons felt tips scissors and glittler glue, stickers and odds and sods in it.

The middle one has stencils, aqua draw, books etc and the bottom one has glue and other bits nad bobs that they need to ask for

Paint is kept well out the way as dd would redecorate

**jeanybeany** · 23-09-2009, 07:13 PM

I have crayons, chalks etc and paper in one of them tower storage units on top of my filing cabinet in the kitchen, with whiteboards etc. The older children know if they ask they can have. As for other things in free range I can't do that at mo because I have a child with cleft pallet (if remembered rightly spelt) and they can't have crayons etc or anything pointy incase of causing damage to mouth, so we only have stuff like that out if child is asleep. Parents don't want child to experience this even with supervision, which I totally understand. We do lots of crafty stuff outside and they have free range with the chalk board. Gellibaff (?) was a huge success the other day!

I think everyone (DW Ofsted etc) are forgetting we are one person, working long hours, in our home, which has to be a mixture of family and business and I for one do not want paint, glue etc over my walls and furniture.
Nursery staff do not have to live in their work environment and I am sure if it was their home they would not let the children have access to everything.